IE School of Architecture & Design Launches International Fashion Advisory Board with Global Industry Leaders

Segovia, 21 October 2026 – IE School of Architecture & Design has launched its International Fashion Advisory Board (IFAB), bringing together leading professionals from across the global fashion ecosystem who will provide an ongoing connection between academic life and international professional practice.  

The International Fashion Advisory Board's members are:

• Wes Gordon, Creative Director of Carolina Herrera since 2018, leads the fashion house's global creative vision. He previously worked with Oscar de la Renta and Tom Ford before establishing his own womenswear label in New York, distributed by leading retailers globally.
• José Manuel Albesa, CEO of Puig, has played a key role in the international expansion of the group’s fashion and fragrance businesses. Since joining Puig in 1998, he has held senior leadership roles overseeing brands such as Carolina Herrera, Rabanne and Jean Paul Gaultier. He previously served as President of Beauty and Fashion and Deputy CEO.
• Paula Reed, fashion journalist, author and member of the BoF 500, has built a career spanning editorial leadership, luxury retail and e-commerce, from Grazia UK and The Sunday Times to Harvey Nichols and Mytheresa. She currently advises Max Mara.
• Caroline Issa, CEO and Fashion Director of TANK Magazine and editor of Becauselondon.com, combines editorial leadership with brand and cultural strategy through Tank Form. A supporter of independent designers and creative businesses, she is also a Trustee of the British Fashion Council and Chair of Artangel.
• Beatriz González-Cristóbal is a senior advisor in strategic communication and institutional relations, with extensive experience in the international luxury and fashion industries, and a trustee of the Fundación Academia de la Moda Española (FAME). She has held senior leadership positions at Hermès, Bulgari and Loewe.
• Mathias Ohrel is Founder and CEO of m-O Conseil. He specializes in identifying, recruiting and advising creative and executive talent across creative industries, helping international brands and organizations develop their leadership teams and navigate changes.

The Board is led by Baruc Corazón, Senior Academic Advisor at IE School of Architecture & Design, a designer and creative consultant with more than two decades of experience, who has served as creative director on projects for houses including Hermès and Loewe and has also worked with companies such as Missoni and Jesús del Pozo. 

"The IFAB was created to establish a sustained and candid dialogue between fashion education and the people shaping the industry internationally", said Baruc Corazón. "This first meeting confirmed the value of bringing together perspectives from creative leadership, business, talent and media around the same table. The exchange with students brought that mission into immediate focus and opened concrete lines of contribution to the School and its fashion programs", added Corazón. 

The Board held its first working session in October, joined by David Goodman, Dean of IE School of Architecture & Design; Cristina Mateo, Associate Dean; and Inés Quezada, Academic Director of the School’s Bachelor in Fashion Design. Board members were welcomed at IE Tower, IE University’s campus in Madrid, and at IE Creative Campus, the historic campus housed in a 13th-century palace in Segovia. During their visit they met with Bachelor in Fashion Design students, who presented their work and shared their perspectives on the program.

The working session was structured around two discussions. "Fashion Now" examined the changes affecting the fashion ecosystem, including shifts in markets, consumer behavior, culture and creative practice, as well as the impact of technology, AI, sustainability, regulation and new business models. "Talent, Capabilities and What Comes Next" focused on the knowledge, skills and attitudes increasingly required by the industry and on the transformations likely to reshape professional practice over the next three to five years.

*Photos by Pau Velarde